Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thew 1/72 Airfix Hawk is one of the easier kits to build, this one walks you through construction with only slightly advanced tehcniques used at the finishing stage.I have a system with these kits where I prefer to assemble them first, blast with primer, clean up then spray the cockpit and apply the instrument decals. It makes for a rapid build. First up, the cockpit is installed and some nose weight added before closing up the fuselage.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3939.jpgSome modellers have had problems with getting the upper fuselage piece, I think fixing the cockpit and nose gear bulkheads in place first and then popping the cockpit in stops the top of the rear bulkhead from sitting fractionally too high, and the fuselage section then just slips into place. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3941.jpgWings are a doddle, just take care with those trailing edges, they are sharp. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3942.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Intakes next, this clip together and then drop onto the fuselage - I've found removing the forward locating pin makes fur a much snugger fit. This may need a touch of Mr Surfacer along the join, but bear in mind there is a panel break here on the real thing. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3947.jpgJust a test for for now but the wings just push into the fuselage. Again, on the real thing there is a panel break along where the kits seams are, in fact the forward one on the Hawk is quite pronounced. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3949.jpgThe seam running through the airbrake well looks hard to clean up, the easier fix it to just cover it with some 5 thou plastic card using the "closed" airbrake as a template for the shape. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3977.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 At this stage I dry fit the undercarriage legs and add the support brace, using the locating holes as a jig to fix the brake to the leg. Once dry the parts just gently pop the parts out ready for painting. Again, that join line at the wing/fuselage junction is there on the real thing (its where the whole wing drops out in real life). http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3978.jpgThe port wing-fuselage join had a hairline gap that was filled with a brushed coat of Mr Surfacer (a liquid filler) - alternatively you could use white glue and remove the excess with a cotton swab dipped in water.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3979.jpghttp://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3980.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 The underside joins needed a little sanding to blend them in a little more. The cockpit was painted Ocean Grey (an approximation for the Dark Admiralty Grey the real things are painted). http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3985.jpg Clear parts were masked off, first with masking tape cut into very thin stips, then bulked out with more tape. The sprue tags were then cleaned up with a sharp blade and the remains sanded away using some fine foam sanding pads (from Halfords in the UK). In fact I gave all the frames a light sanding so as to give a better key for paint, hence the need for building up a layers of tape to ask as a barrier. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3982.jpgThe "undercarriage up" parts were used to mask off the wheel wells while I applied the underside colour - this is the "Spithawk" scheme flown to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first Spitfire unit, No.19 squadron (and perviously available as an Airfix Cliub Special). The underside were given a couple of coats of silver - the real thing is sivler paint, not natural metal.brighthttp://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF3987.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 The silver undersides were masked off ready for the Dark Earth upper surfaces.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4028.jpgThe Dark Earth was applied and, to protect the paintwork, a coat of clear gloss was applied.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4039.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Now the fun part - worms of BluTac were rolled out and applied to mark out the camouflage for a nice "scale" soft edge. As ever with this process it seems to take ages to apply and then seconds to remove. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4040.jpgThe Dark Green was applied with an airbrush, though a spray can could also be used.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4042.jpgThen off it comes - a few areas to clean up but the result is a nice tidy camouflage finish.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4046.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 The model was given another few coats of gloss ready for the decals.http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4077.jpg With the decals on, the model was given a coat of satin varnish and the masking removed and the undercarriage and gear doors added. To simulate the tape on the internal blast screen I used masking tape cut into a strip and run around the edges clear part. To avoid getting any glue on the canopy, I fixed the base of the blast screen to the cockpit coaming, which then positions and sets it just right. For the sealant tape on the canopy, I used thin strips of Tamiya tape. The MDC chord in the canopy was given a wash of thin white acyrlic paint and the excess removed with a cotton swab, leaving the chord detail to stand out. Don't use enamel for this!Hopefully from this build you'll have seen the minimal work needed (filler etc) and a few cheats and fixes. http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4744.jpghttp://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww195/jonathanmock/DSCF4747.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_monfea Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Nice work fella! Especially liked the airbrake bay tip.Rob M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Payne1707819911 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Cheers Jonathan. May have to try this method on my next Hawk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks, I think the thing that alarmed me was seeing people making the same kit and using acres of filler all over it. People see that and it gives the wrong impression. Basic preparation usually make the differece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 Is this applicable to all the Airfix Hawks Jon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted December 4, 2015 Author Share Posted December 4, 2015 This is the new-tool 1/72, works for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_fleming Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 New tool or new new tool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_fleming Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 For anyone wondering about that last post, the 'Starter/Gift SEt Hawk is a new mould with a smaller parts set than the original 'new tool' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 Works for the new and revised new tool. I prefer the revised kit, the panel lines are better and the gear doors are the correct shape though the outer ones are still not quite right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_fleming Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 I have salvaged some gear doors from an old Italeri kit for my T2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted December 8, 2015 Author Share Posted December 8, 2015 They're pretty easy to make from scrap plastic card, the Alfred Granger drawings in Wingspan from a few years (decades) are a good guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fighter Pilot Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Looks great mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 I really must build some more as I have stacks of decal sheets to use up and plenty of schemes I'd like to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_fleming Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 I quite fancy a matt black one from the visibility trials Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewe Manton Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I still haven't finished one of these for myself! Got a half dozen or so at various points, the only one I finished was the one for Airfix' advertising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Wasn't that the 2012 RAFBF scheme in red, white and blue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 I had a real problem getting weight into the nose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewe Manton Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 I had a real problem getting weight into the noseThere's space behind the cockpit before the main wheels - it needs a little more because of the shorter moment arm but there's lots more space anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share Posted December 20, 2015 I can't remember if I weighted any of mine as the CoG is quite far forward. I need to do one of the Fly Navy ones with the anniversary tail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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